Lubricating device



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June 7, 19 38.

XR 2,120.02; Rferenfl'e H. B. McELRATH LUBRICATIHG DEVICE Fil'ed Jan. 19, 1937 Room I 8 4 L16 M .9 23. I L 2 7 '25 l m 3nvento1:

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Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRICAT'ING DEVICE Hunter B. McElrath, Winston-Salem, N. 0., assignor of one-half to J. J. Wright, Jr., Winston- Salem, N. C

The present invention relates to improvements in lubricating devices, and more particularly refers to devices for prying apart the leaves or laminations of the elliptical or other springs presently employed to suspend the bodies of motor vehicles from the chassis, and additionally to deliver a heavy lubricant thereto such as is essential for the proper and permanent lubrication of these spring parts.

Heretofore devices intended to accomplish this general purpose have proposed to apply a light penetrating oil for the purpose of insuring the delivery of this oil into the tightly associated leaves of the spring but such light oil does not inhere in the space between the leaves but rapidly flows out with the result that the operation of oiling such springs has to be repeated frequently Where a light penetrating oil is used.

The invention has for an object to provide a device which will convey to the space between the spring leaves a highly-graphited grease in relatively large quantities to insure not only the complete lubrication of the surfaces of the spring leaves but also to distribute over the entire surfaces of all of the spring leaves a heavy grease that will remain in place for a relatively long time and thus avoid the expensive and tedious operation of frequently repeating the process of greasing the springs.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device having great power for the movement of the spring leaves apart and having clear and direct channels for the delivery of the grease.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularlypointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away, and with the vehicle spring shown in section, of an improved lubricating device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a similar view with the vehicle spring omitted and parts shown in section, and the plunger in a projected position. V

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device, with parts shown in section.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 44 in Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view, with parts broken away and parts shown in section, of the improved plunger.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 6 designates the frame of the device from one end of which projects the handle I, and upon the other end of which is the upstanding nose or flange 8, such flange being offset as indicated at 9 in order to assume a proper alinement with the plunger I0. The plunger I is horizontally movable back and forth in a rectilinear path being guided and supported by a casing II supported at an appropriate elevation above the frame 6 by a plate or web I2.

The plunger I0 is moved back and forth by the action of a lever I3 fulcrumed, as by means of a bolt I4, upon the frame 6 and having an ofiset portion I to permit the upper portion of the lever to lie alongside the frame 6 to which it is pivoted, while the lower or operating portion of the lever 6 lies in the same vertical plane with the handle I for the purpose of facilitating the application of physical force to the lever I3, using the handle I as an abutment.

The lever I3 extends above the fulcrum point I4 in an upstanding operating arm I6 having a rounded or ball head I! which projects into a slot I8 of the plunger ID. The plunger I0, forwardly of the slot I8, is formed with a threaded socket I9 and with a plurality of ducts or channels 20 leading from the chamber formed by the socket to the outer tip reduced end of the plunger, which end is chisel or wedge shape as indicated at 2| in order to facilitate the entry of the plunger between the leaves or laminations 22 of the vehicle spring indicated in Figure 1. A hollow threaded nipple 23 is screwed into the socket I9 and the nipple connects with a tube 24 in communication with a source of heavy grease supply, for instance in connection with a grease gun or grease pumping device. If desired the tube 24 may be pivoted to the nipple 23 as indicated at 25, although this is not necessary.

By observing Figure 4 it will be seen that the plate I2 rises from one edge portion' of the frame 6 and that the casing II is rolled over from the upper edge of this plate I2 in an outward direction away from the plane of the frame 6 whereby the center of the tubular casing II, shown to be substantially circular in cross-section in the instance shown, is offset to one side of the vertical plane of the frame 6 and has a slot 26 extending longitudinally or axially along the lower or bottom portion of the casing II. It is preferable to make the plate I2 and the casing II in one piece out of suitably heavy sheet metal whereby the lower edge of the plate I2 may be welded or otherwise secured to the frame 6, while the upper portion of the plate I2 is rolled over, outwardly and downwardly in a substantially cylindrical manner with the upper terminal of the piece of sheet metal terminating short of the plate I2 whereby to provide a gap or slot 26 all along the lower part of the casing II. As shown in Figure 4 the operating arm I6 of the lever I3 is in direct vertical alinement with the axis or central portion of the casing II whereby its head Il may enter up through the slot 26 and lie within the slot I8 of the plunger I0. The operating arm I6 and its head Il may play freely back and forth in the slot 25 of the casing H in accomplishing the movement of the plunger I toward and from the nose or flange 8. This nose or flange 8 must be offset so as to bring it in alinement with the axis of the tubular casing II or into the direct path of movement of the plunger I0.

In the operation of the device, with the parts substantially in the position shown in Figure 1 the device is applied to a vehicle spring, with the nose or fiange 8 extending at one side of the leaves 23 and the plunger I0 presented at the opposite side. The lever I3 is then lifted causing the plunger II] to advance toward the spring leaves 23 and requiring the chisel or Wedge end 2I to enter between adjacent laminations, causing the laminations to move apart. At this time grease from the gun or pump or other source is forced under pressure through the tube 24, socket I9 and ducts or channels 20 directly into the space between such spring leaves. The plunger is withdrawn from between the spring leaves by reverse action of the lever I3; whereupon the elevation of the device is altered in order to present the plunger opposite the next space between spring laminations to be lubricated.

A stop 21 mounted on the guide plate I2 or upon the frame 6 is so placed as to prevent the plunger from disengaging the lever cam I'I when removing the plunger from the spring leaves. In other words this stop 21 engages the operating arm IS in the completely retired position of the plunger I0 whereby to prevent the operating arm I6 from swinging down further to the right which would eventually result in the head I1 moving completely below the slot I8; in which case the plunger I0 would be free to be backed out of the casing II. The casing is open at both ends and it is also open along the bottom I6 to permit the free movement of the operating arm I6 and the free movement of the nipple or fitting 23 in the act of reciprocating the plunger.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the improved device substantially eliminates the laborious task of getting heavy greasebetween spring leaves and renders it a simple matter to apply heavy graphited grease into such spaces. The lever I3, so constituted and arranged, exerts a powerful force upon the chisel-pointed channeled plunger III requiring the plunger to move between the spring leaves and causing application of grease through this same plunger, under pressure, to unlubricated sections of the spring leaves. The lubricant supply being directly connected to the lubricating device, no time is lost in applying the grease after the spring leaves are pried apart.

It will also be noted that the plunger is given a horizontal motion and is mechanically operated with a minimum effort through the leverage obtained. In this way the device lends itself to rapid work and to the efilcient placement of heavy lubricant in contact with all surfaces of the spring leaves.

Another important point is that the device is designed for work in places that are substantially not accessible to similar prior devices. This result is brought about by the curvature of the handle I and lever I3 downwardly. In all vehicle construction there is a road clearance line. Nothing is permitted to project below this line. The curvature referred to carries the handle 1 and the operating lever I3 below the road clearance line. Thus they are in an unobstructed space for easy and quick operation. The dis-' tance between the nose or flange 8 and the far end of the plate I2 and easing II is a comparatively short one, thus presenting a relatively compact operating unit to extend above the road clearance line. Even the frame 6 may project just below this line.

The plunger moves in a direct horizontal path parallel with its point of entry between the spring leaves. This facilitates the movement of the leaves apart and it also reduces the power input as against a plunger that moves in an arcuate path. The plunger guide or casing II maintains a true horizontal alinement of the plunger II) in its movement into and out of the spaces between the spring leaves; thus one direct pull on the powerful lever I3 will send the wedge 2I home between the spring leaves and another reverse pull of the lever removes the wedge. Thus the action is simple and direct and is substantially instantaneous. This insures rapid work.

The plunger I0 may be fitted with a grease fitting at 23 in order that the lubricator may be applied to the spring first, and then the grease line placed on the fitting; after which the operator may open the valve in the grease line to lubricate the spring. The guide II will act as an abutment to engage the side of the spring 22 and enable the member ID to be more easily withdrawn from between the spring leaves. While the spring in Figure 1 is shown as spaced from the guide II, in actual practice the entire tool shifts over upon initiating withdrawal of the member I0 and the adjacent end of the guide II shifts over against the near side of the spring 22. The member I0 may then be very easily withdrawn from between the spring leaves by the operation of the lever I3.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by thescope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

A lubricating device comprising a straight frame member, an abutment upstanding from one end of said member, an elongated handle integral with the other end of said member and inclined in a direction opposite from said abutment, a longitudinally slotted guide cylinder disposed in parallel relation to said member and having an end confronting said abutment, means secured to said cylinder and said member supporting said cylinder in offset relation to said member, a plunger slidable in said cylinder and having a slot intermediate the ends thereof, a wedge-shaped bit on an end of said plunger having a duct opening therethrough terminating adjacent the end of said plunger, means secured to the plunger extending through the slot of said cylinder connecting said duct to a source of lubricant supply, a lever pivotally secured to said member and extending on the same side of said member as said handle, an obliquely disposed arm integral with said lever, and a disc-shaped head carried by said arm engaging in the slot 

